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The Underrated: Get Rich or Die Tryin Soundtrack

Tracklist1. Hustler's Ambition2. What If3. Things Change4. You Already Know5. When Death Becomes U6. Have A Party7. We Both Think Alike8. Don't Need No Help9. Get Low10. Fake Love11. Window Shopper12. Born Alone, Die Alone13. You A Shooter14. I Don't Know, Officer15. Talk About Me16. When It Rains It Pours17. Best Friend18. I'll Whip Your Head Boy

2005 was a weird year for G-Unit. It started off great with The Game going double platinum and 50 selling 1.1 million his first week with The Massacre, then fell after The Game was kicked out of G-Unit and feuded with them over the summer. Tony Yayo's album was a bit of a disappointment despite being certified gold this year, but the prominence of G-Unit has dwindled a bit this year. With 50 busier than ever, he geared up for a busy November 2005 with the release of his biopic film, his first video game and vitamin water flavor. While all three of those were good, the biggest highlight was the soundtrack to his film.

The soundtrack kicks off with the first single "Hustler's Ambition" backed by a Maze sample that carries the track along with 50's infectious hooks. 50 has always had a knack for making anthems and this was no different. The smooth soul feel continues with the breezy "What If", as 50 takes shots at AZ on the song randomly. The song is a classic hands down, with a smooth beat and 50 being...well being 50. Spider Loc makes an appearance here(unfortunately) on the knocking "Things Change", as does Lloyd Banks. The song is pretty good, despite Spider's verse(which technically isn't bad, It is just delivered terribly) and Banks makes sure to come with a clutch verse.

Another highlight is the Banks, Buck, and 50 track "You Already Know", with a sinister track that sees Banks handles hook duties as the three MCs come with fire. M.O.P. have their moment on the aggressive "When Death Becomes U", backed by 50 on the hook. Mobb Deep and Nate Dogg combine for "Have A Party", which I have mixed feelings about. The next few songs are a bit boring, as Olivia was never really intriguing to me musically and "We Both Think Alike" feels a bit generic. Buck's "We Don't Need Help" is decent, but the beat is a bit annoying. Buck still goes in on the police however, which I like regardless. The worst song on here is Banks' "Get Low", which makes no sense at all in some ways. It is an attempt at a party track, and the generic beat along with the laughable hook from Banks adds nothing to the track.

Oddly enough, Yayo's solo track "Fake Love" brings it back, mostly due to the beat and the reality of the song. Of course, 50's hit "Window Shopper" follows, and the song is so infectious, it is impossible to deny. 50 creates a great track for stunting, yet it doesn't sound your average commercial hit, which made it special to me. Banks returns for a decent solo song, "Born Alone Die Alone", which has very good verses for the most part, but the hook is a bit lifeless(Banks suffers from this mostly anyways). The Mobb Deep track "You A Shooter" isn't necessarily great, as the hook(done by 50) is a bit generic also(a theme on some songs, but very rare here), but Havoc and P still bring some fire over a slick beat. You can tell that Mobb was really just enjoying themselves with the Unit, but weren't too hungry musically.

The best period of the soundtrack comes at the end with every song near the end being supreme fire. "I Don't Know, Officer" is completely classic G-Unit music, backed by a bumping beat and short but concise verses from the whole squad, including Ma$e, who was around G-Unit and a part of the team at this time. 50 creates a classic with "Talk About Me", as he speaks in each verse from other people's perspective about him. He speaks as people from his hood, his son, his grandmother as well and it is a pretty dope concept. The best song on here could possibly be "When It Rains It Pours", with a slow melodic Dr. Dre production that features a sick riff throughout. 50 talks his shit with some of his dopest verses in terms of focus and storytelling.

The final two tracks of the soundtrack are a contrast, but both effective. The Hi Tek produced "Best Friend" was used throughout the film, and while the hook is a bit too sing songy, I can't lie, it is extremely infectious. The Young Buck and 50 collab "I'll Whip Ya Head Boy" closes out the soundtrack with a knocking beat and the aggressive content that G-Unit was known for. A perfect way to end the soundtrack and leave the fans wanting more.

The soundtrack would go on to be a successful release, selling 2.5 million copies in total and it stands as one of my favorite G-Unit releases period. Revisit and enjoy this dopeness.